Introduction To Paganism

Researched and written by Kelly Nolan

A little Information about Kelly Nolan

 

First I felt that I should state a bit of information about myself. As you know, my name is Kelly Marie Nolan. I am nineteen years old, I live in Niles, Ohio, and have been researching and studying the paranormal and the occult since I was nine years old. It has become a huge part of my life and I am completely dedicated to it. I am Pagan, however I follow a lot of my own different beliefs and theories that I have thoroughly researched since the age of nine.

 I am empathic since I was born. Empathy is the psychic ability in which a person can feel the thoughts, emotions, and physical pain of those who are around him/her. It has nothing to do with sympathy and it is a psychic ability. For those of you who do not understand though it is a feeling humans get, it is also a psychic ability. Thus, I can do that. I also get feelings about events in the future and they always seem to be right.

     Aside from that, I am advanced in energy manipulation. I can manifest my energy into anything I need. I can gather energy and change it into a thought form and send it to do whatever I want it to do. It’s a lot like spellcrafting but it takes a lot more practice and patience. It requires little or no supplies, depending on what you're using it for. Things happen when I just think it sometimes. Sometimes I gather too much and cause lightening outside my house or make the power go out or flicker.

     I'm also advanced in tarot readings. I've been doing it for 4 years and of course I can communicate with the dead.

If any of you have questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me at Apalahh@gmail.com.

 

What is Paganism?

 

  To become a Pagan, one must understand what Paganism is and where it comes from.

 

  The word Pagan derives from the Latin Paganus (meaning: peasants, country folk, rural people). A Pagan was one who practiced "country ways". Specifically, Pagan referred to old country practices originating before the Christian era. It generally means those who do not follow the church.

 

Paganism is the broad term used to describe any religion or belief that is not Christian, Jewish or Muslim. Paganism can be traced back to Neolithic times and survived up until the middle ages when Christianity became strong enough to dismiss it from existence. Paganism is an earth-based religion, which lays emphasis on the worship of all aspects of nature. Paganism appeared very early on in the history of the world. Examples of early paganism can be seen in ancient Greek and Roman religions, as well as in ancient Goddess worship and Druidic religions.

 

  Ancient people believed that everything had a spirit and were polytheistic (those who believe in more than one god) and they placed great importance on the worship of many Gods, Goddesses and Deities. Gods were a part of everyday life and great emphasis was placed on placating them through worship and ritual. Pagans believed that the Gods were immanent and entered every aspect of their society, influencing everything from laws and customs to the general workings of their community.

 

  As Pagans were polytheistic they had gods and goddesses of the forests, the sea and of all aspects of nature. Pagans began to personify the energies of the land, sky and other elements by giving specific responsibilities to individual Gods. As ancient civilizations began to develop and change, the Gods grew and changed with the people. New Gods appeared, one's which were relevant to village life, for example, gods of milling and smithcraft. The old gods remained, but aspects of them changed to conform to the changing people. For example, as war became more prominent, so too did the gods of war, such as Ares and Mars.

 

  Pagans held no belief in heaven and hell as Christians do, rather they believed in reincarnation. They believed that when the body could be re-incarnated in another form. There are many varying beliefs relating to re-incarnation, however the theme remains the same in most forms of Paganism.

 

  Paganism includes Witchcraft, Wicca, Druidry, the Northern Tradition, Hinduism, Tantra, Goddess Spirituality and many other paths within its scope.

 

What are the common strands, which bind all these paths together as being pagan?

 

1. Celebration of Deity/Deities, their place in our lives and our connection with them.

 

2. Love and respect for nature and other living creatures.

 

3. Tolerance of other people’s beliefs, especially spiritual, as long they do not harm anything living.

 

As you can see, paganism is not just one belief system but a range of many from a variety of cultural and geographical origins. As a system, which teaches reverence for nature and all her aspects, celebrating fertility and life, it can be traced back to the earliest human civilizations. Whether, like us you see Paganism today, as NEO-Paganism, a revival of the old religions, or an uninterrupted continuation of those beliefs since time began, calling yourself Pagan carries many responsibilities. It is not something to be taken lightly at all, there is no one there to tell you how to behave, there is no set of rules.

 

I stress the fact that Paganism is not a religion; it is a classification of religions who do not follow The Church. Paganism comes along with creativity and the ability to think and believe one's own beliefs. You do not have to believe in the Goddess and the God as well as other god and goddess from culture to culture. Many people, who are following the path of Paganism, believe that it is a religion and that you must follow it in a certain way. Yes there are rules to being a true Pagan, however there are no rules that deals with what you should or should not believe.  Research everything thoroughly and follow your heart to the fullest, expressing yourself through the earth's magic with perfect love, and finding the path that fits you best.

 

The Sabbats

 

Pagans often celebrate the changing of seasons and nature in itself. The Pagan Holidays are based on four Greater Sabbats and four Lesser Sabbats, alternating about six weeks apart. The Greater Sabbats are based on Pre-Christian Fire Festivals that were held in Europe on fixed days of the year. The four Lesser Sabbats are celebrated on the Equinoxes and Solstices.

 

The Greater Sabbats :

Samhain (Oct. 31st)

Imbolc (Feb. 2nd)

Beltaine (May 1st)

Lughnasadh (Aug. 1st)

 

The Lesser Sabbats:

Yule (circa Dec. 21st)

Ostara (circa March 21st)

Midsummer (circa June 21st)

Mabon (circa Sept. 21st)

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Samhain

Also known as Halloween, it is the Pagan New Year. It is a time to reflect back on all the things that have come to pass in the previous year. A time to look forward to new beginnings. It is one of the most Holy of our Holidays and brings many Pagans together every year. Traditionally, it was believed that all the crops had to be harvested by this time, otherwise a mischievous spirit would go around on that night and contaminate all the unharvested crops and make them useless to humans. Because of this, Samhain is known as "The Last Harvest".

It is also called "The Feast of the Dead" in some traditions for obvious reasons. Many people feel that on this night, the veil between the seen and unseen is very thin and loved ones who have passed on may be contacted. We try to honor their spirits in some way on this night, to remember them and perhaps to feel their presence with us once again.

On Samhain, our Mother Earth begins to prepare Herself for the long winter ahead. She settles in for Her long slumber and allows the Horned God to reign over this half of the year. Our God in turn prepares the cattle and forest animals for the winter months by protecting them with thick furs, or hiding them away for the winter.

In other traditions, it is the Holly King and the Sun God whose time is coming to an end.

 

 Yule

The Winter Solstice, Yule, marks the shortest day of the year and thus, the longest night. This is the darkest part of the year and therefore a time when the Sun God symbolically "dies". Yet He is reborn again to begin His reign all over. From this point on, the days get longer and eventually warmer as His strength grows and matures around Midsummer. The Goddess sleeps at this time after giving birth to the Sun God. The Death of the Holly King and the Birth of the Oak King is celebrated at this time.

In our tradition, we see the Horned God as the ruler over this half of the year. As a protector of the wildlife and our Mother while she sleeps during the cold Winter months. He is at His strongest at this point.

We like to celebrate this Sabbat by making Crafts indoors and giving them as presents. We tend to follow the idea of Brotherhood and Goodwill towards Man at this time. It is a reminder to us that these were harsh times for ancient people. They had to stick together in order to survive the Winter. We set up Yule trees, symbolic of the Tree of Life, and light candles to remind us that warmer days will return and from this day forth, the nights will be getting shorter and the days longer.

 

 Imbolc

Also known as Candlemas, this Sabbat is the re awaking of the Earth Mother so that She may return to make our lands green again. It is also a time when the Sun God is encouraged to grow in strength so that He may awaken the Goddess from Her Winter slumber.

Imbolc actually means "in womb". This refers to all the Life that is laying beneath the hard frozen ground, in our Earth Mothers "womb", waiting to come forth in the Spring. It is up to the Sun God to warm the frozen ground and stir these seeds so they may blossom.

In our tradition, we take this time to encourage others and ourselves. The dark Winter months tend to depress many people, and several seem to give up hope. On Imbolc we try to restore that hope in order to survive. We light candles in a variety of ways to show that there will be brighter times and hopefully to encourage that inner light within all of us to ignite and flare.

 

 Ostara

The Spring Equinox brings a time of balance. The Sun God has overtaken the darkness and day and night are of equal lengths. The Goddess, our Earth Mother, awakens from Her long slumber to replenish the Earth. We see new Life rising from the cold ground.

The Horned God has grown weak from the Winter and at this time dies in order to return to the healing Earth. From His "death", He is reborn as the Green Man. He has shed his antlers and fur for green leaves and vines. He is young still, but as the days grow longer he gains strength. He is a God of fertility, to aid our Goddess in the growing of our fields and livestock.

Many Pagan customs from this Sabbat continue to this day. For instance, the Easter Egg is a common Pagan custom. Eggs have always been a symbol of fertility and thus used as a symbol for this holiday. They were traditionally painted red or scarlet to symbolize the Suns rays in hopes that the rays of the Sun would warm the Egg and from it would spring Life. Easter is celebrated around this time because it has always been, in older traditional religions, the time of the willing sacrifice and rebirth of the God. Therefore it was only logical to place the sacrifice and rebirth of Jesus around this time.

 

 Beltaine

Also known as Mayday, this Sabbat is a time of Sacred Fertility. The Goddess and the Green Man perform the Great Rite, sacred sexuality, in order to make the land lush and green. Because Maypoles are phallic symbols they are erected and danced around to celebrate the masculine aspect of this Sabbat. Many Pagans today also use a cauldron in their Maypole celebrations in order to symbolize the womb of the Goddess.

In some traditions this is the time when the Oak King mates with the Goddess, is sacrificed and then reborn. The Sun God is nearing His zenith as the days get longer.

On Mayday we celebrate the Great Union of the Gods in order to reproduce and replenish the Earth. To bring Life to it after the cold Winter. It is a time for Love, Sex and Merriment. All positive aspects of growth and reproduction are celebrated. Births, Marriages, Initiations, Unions, etc. are all very common at this time. It is truly a period of great celebration, for it marks the coming of warmer days and greener fields. A time of sweet memories and blessed unions.

 

 Midsummer

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and brings us to the zenith of the Sun God's power. He is celebrated and honored in order to ensure a large harvest. He is thanked for the Life-Giving Light that He brings. This is also the time of the Great Battle of the Oak King and His twin, the Holly King. It is during this Battle that the Holly King, representing the darker, colder half of the year, slays the Oak King, who represents the lighter, warmer half of the year, in order to keep the wheel of the year spinning. The cycle of Life, Death and Rebirth is constantly flowing, always changing...never static.

Our Tradition honors the Green Man in all His masculinity. He is at the height of His reign and roams through the fields playing harmless pranks and games. We too celebrate this time with games and competition. It is a time for growing strong. The harvest is coming soon and the Winter months will be harsh. We usually re-enact the Battle of the Oak and Holly Kings, more as a form of competition than a religious aspect. Honoring the Green Man is our main focus on this Sabbat.

 

 Lughnasadh

The first harvest, also known as Lammas, is a time of great celebration. It is at this time that we first begin reaping the fruits of our hard labor. We celebrate with great feasts and lots of thanksgiving, sharing in wine, music and dance.

As the reign of the Holly King continues the days continue to grow shorter and the nights longer and colder. The first stirrings of Winter may be arriving. The Sun God, overcome by the darkness that is falling upon him, begins His descent into the Otherworld. Here again we see the mating, sacrifice and rebirth of the King, only this time, instead of the Oak King, it is the Holly King who lives the cycle.

At our festivals we acknowledge the Green Man and the Earth Goddess as Lovers who, after months of hard work, can reap the rewards of their labor. The Green Man grows old and weak from the chore of fertilizing and planting. The Goddess, too, begins to show signs of weariness from the planting and growing season.

 

 Mabon

The Autumn Equinox not only brings us again to a time of balance, but also to the second harvest. This is a time of preparation for the cold months ahead. We take our cue from the balance of day and night and resolve to equalize within ourselves anything that we believe to be "tipping the scales". It is important to strive toward a balance of mind, body and spirit during this time in order to be prepared for the sometimes depressing, colder months ahead.

The nights grow longer and colder now. The Sun God is overtaken by the darkness which will reign supreme from until Yule. The lengthening nights cause the Goddess to grow tired and weak and she prepares to sleep through the long Winter.

To help His children survive the coming season, the Green Man returns to the Earth, sheds His leaves and vines and is reborn as the Horned God with the antlers and fur of the animals He must protect. Thus begins the reign of the Horned God, Father and Protector of those trying to survive the long, cold nights.

 

Different Paths of Paganism

 

There are many paths (or denominations) of Paganism, the most poplar of which is Wicca, a modern revival of the ancient art of Witchcraft. There are even several different forms of Wicca to practice, such as Celtic, Norse, British Traditional and Saxon. One of the common threads they all share is the Wiccan Rede, "An it Harm None, Do as Thou Wilt". For many Wiccans, the Rede is simply stating that you are free to do as you wish, as long as you cause harm to no one including yourself. This sounds simple enough at first, but upon further examination, and taking into account the belief many Pagans have of the interconnectedness of the Universe, we find that this statement is virtually impossible to adhere to. There is a perpetual balance in Nature, which prevents something from being created without something being destroyed first. It is my belief that anything we do will eventually cause some form of harm to someone, somewhere out there. Even the act of doing nothing at all can be harmful to yourself or others. Due to this, many Wiccans are now modifying their definition of the Rede to state: You are free to do as you wish, as long as you do not maliciously and knowingly cause harm to anyone, including yourself. With this modification and the teachings of personal responsibility, the Rede can be more practically followed.

Other paths within Paganism are usually derived from a reconstruction of Pre-Christian Nature Religions, also known as Neo-Paganism ("New" Paganism). These reconstructions take on many forms because their customs and practices are drawn from ancient writings or mythology. Personal interpretation of these texts and mythologies play a substantial role in the development of a Pagan belief system. Therefore it is not unusual to find Pagans practicing the same path while adhering to very different belief structures.

No one can claim that there is any "One True Path" of Paganism. There are just as many forms of Paganism as there are practicing Pagans. Many Pagans will agree that if someone is following a positive, life-affirming path, which strives to obtain balance of one's self with Nature, then they could be considered Pagan.